The ideal time to switch jobs is…

Jobs will be up for grabs across all industries in the next three months, as restless staff move on and employers look to hit the ground running in the new year.

Research by recruitment firms shows a slight downturn in overall hiring intentions in the past year. More than one in four employers, however, still are looking to hire new, permanent staff.

Job seekers are warned to ensure they make a timely move that will suit their needs and industry requirements. Hays board member and Queensland director Darren Buchanan says the end of the year is a natural cut-off point for business, with December a month when time frames on many projects are coming to an end. “What we’ve traditionally found is in most years, people expect it’s going to start slowing down early but it’s going to be busy right up to Christmas,” he says.

“It’s a time to start thinking about the year ahead.

“What we traditionally see is come January, there’s a lot of movement from candidates to say it’s time to go to work or speak to candidates about opportunities.”

International recruitment firm Hudson’s latest Employment Expectations report finds that from October to December, 27.9 per cent of employers intend to hire permanent staff, compared with 30.7 per cent in the July to September period.

The report finds the nation’s two-speed economy is driving huge differences in employer sentiment. This affects outlooks for some states and industries more than others. Overall expectations are markedly higher than two years ago when the global financial crisis had employers wary of putting on new staff.

The current economic uncertainty has employers 5.5 per cent less confident than at the same time last year.

Hudson Australia/New Zealand chief executive Mark Steyn says it is clear the labour market reflects broader global uncertainty.

“Those industries connected to resources, professional services or IT remain robust whereas other industries outside of these areas are weakening,” he says.

“With sharp falls in stock exchanges around the world, growing concern over Europe’s sovereign debt crises and worsening economic news from the US, it is unsurprising confidence in trade-based industries slipped over the quarter.”

In the longer term, the Regus Business Tracker Report October 2011 finds nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of businesses plan to hire more employees in the next 24 months.

Employers also are looking to take advantage of cost-cutting solutions, such as flexible working options, with 36 per cent expecting to employ more remote workers.

Young staff are in demand with 41 per cent intending to increase graduate employment over the next two years.

The Hudson report finds the resources industry has the highest level of hiring intentions in the nation, at 30 per cent above the national average, up 9.5 per cent from the same time last year.

Employers in WA continue to seek staff at the highest rate in Australia, with 57 per cent intending to hire.

Sentiment in Queensland (39 per cent) and SA (22 per cent) also is rising.

New South Wales and Victorian employers are the least confident but one in five employers intends to hire new workers, at 21 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

Buchanan says the two-speed economy will lead to job vacancies in non-booming areas but, when workers leave one job to pick up work in mining-related roles, that will leave businesses short of staff.

When the industry picks up, it will need to hire to maintain a steady workforce, he says.

Many workers on temporary contracts in the short-term may move to full-time or permanent work next year as uncertainty reduces.

“I think there are some very good opportunities out there and we’ve already seen skill shortages in industry resulted in terms of mining.”

Buchanan believes job seekers who carefully consider their career move will do well out of a move now.

“We will see a lot of opportunities in the new year but now will be the time to think about what you want to do in the future.”

At Central Diesel, in Adelaide, chief executive Gerry Branigan says the company often needs to replace staff lured away by big dollars in mining. He hopes to reverse the flow by offering a workplace close to home, regular work hours and pay that compares to the mining industry.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Hiring intentions in resources increased by 9.5 per cent in the past year

Percentage of employers hiring by industry

Retail: 19%

Financial Services/Insurance: 26%

Transport: 26%

All Industries: 28%

Construction/Property/Engineering: 42%

Information Technology: 43%

Professional services: 51%

Resources: 58%

Source: The Hudson Report